— The ACT economy is forecast to grow by 2 per cent in 2009-10.
— Unemployment in the ACT will reach 3.5% by the middle of next year.
— Since the last Budget revenue has dropped by around $230 million.
— The loss of superannuation investment assets is around $350 million against a forecast growth of $200 million. The ACT’s superannuation liability is now only 47 per cent funded.
— New spending initiatives include a modest average annual spend of $49.0 million.
— Plans to return to balanced budgets by 2015-16.
— Raising in parking fees, penalty payments for traffic infringements and court imposed fines.

Health:
— Establishing a 16-bed Surgical Assessment and Planning Unit at the Canberra Hospital at a cost of $25.4 million.
— $10.522 million over four years to provide an additional two intensive care beds at the Canberra Hospital.
— Medical retrieval services will be boosted by $5.4 million over four years and $10.5 million is allocated to establish a walk-in centre at the Canberra Hospital.
— A new public diagnostic mammography service will be established at the Canberra Hospital with $3.5 million over four years.
— $4.2 million over the next four years for the Capital Region Cancer Service to meet a growth in demand and to fulfil a key election commitment.
— Mental health services in the ACT will receive $19 million over the next four years.
— $9.7 million over four years to establish a Mental Health Assessment Unit (MHAU).
— $600,000 over the next two financial years for mental health training for police, emergency services workers and teachers.
— $11 million over the next three years to address issues such as childhood obesity, tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adolescent health and healthy workplaces.
— $20 million of initiatives have been funded, aimed at strengthening the health workforce, expanding the roles of allied health professionals, establishing new health professional support roles and supporting and growing the Territory’s GP workforce.
— $51.3 million is allocated for the forward design and construction of an Enhanced Community Health Centre at Belconnen.

Education:
— $22.7 million over four years to employ 70 additional staff members in ACT schools, to reduce class sizes and improve educational outcomes. Capital funding of $6 million has also been provided to accommodate the additional class rooms.
— $6.4 million over four years for specialist literacy and numeracy teachers to assist students at risk of not achieving national benchmarks.
— $3.1 million over four years for eight additional support staff for students with English as a Second Language.
— $5 million over three years is being provided to replace old computers, and install new technologies including smart-boards, in public schools, with non-Government schools receiving over $2.5 million in 2009-10 to purchase and install ICT equipment.
— A new high school, accommodating 800 students, will be built in Harrison, with an investment of $44 million. — The Gungahlin College will benefit from $5.4 million additional funding in 2010-11 for community library and CIT facilities at the College.
— Canberra College will receive a new $7.6 million performing arts centre, with specialist space for music, dance,
drama and performance.
— $1.4 million over four years is being provided to expand the CIT’s scholarship program to assist around 1,000 students per annum with materials and fees in courses in areas of skills shortage.
— $9.9 million over four years is being provided for a new purpose built facility for electrotechnology training at Fyshwick Trade Skills Centre.
— $4.5 million funding provided over two years to fund online education material at CIT.
— CIT will also receive $5 million over four years to purchase equipment to keep them within industry standards.

Sustainability:
— $19.1 million over four years towards the Switch Your Thinking initiative which will provide a virtual one stop shop for householders and businesses in the ACT for advice, support and programs to make sustainable choices.
— Two new wetland ponds at Dickson and Lyneham will be funded with an investment of $13.9 million over two years.
— $3.3 million over four years for the Mugga Lane Recycling transfer station which will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and increase the amount of material that is recycled.
— $2.5 million will be provided for a water plant that will reuse effluent water for irrigation of Exhibition Park grounds.
— $950,000 over three years for conservation programs at Mulligan’s Flat, Goorooyarroo and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserves.
— $830,000 over four years will go towards the Lower Cotter Restoration Project to support the efforts of Canberrans and Greening Australia in replanting.
— The Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens is being supported by $8.1 million over four years in this Budget.
— $1.3 million is provided over four years for Community Partnerships for Sustainability and the Environment.

Community Safety and Protection
— $1.6 million over four years for monitoring CCTV systems in place in Civic, Manuka and Kingston.
— $3.5 million over four years for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
— $2.6 million over four years is being provided to the ACT Government Solicitors Office.
— $4 million will be provided over two years for the design of a modern Supreme Court facility to replace the current building.
— $6.3 million to be provided over two years for the establishment of a purpose built training centre for emergency services, an upgrade to the aero-medical base located at Hume, and the relocation of the National Aerial Fire Fighting Helicopters.
— $2.3 million this year will ensure that emergency vehicles are housed in secure space, and appropriate areas are provided for office and training space.
— $2.8 million to replace the Mobile Data System, improving the stability and reliability of the Computer Aided Despatch (CAD) system and improving the ESA’s Wide Area Network infrastructure.

Children:
— $11 million has been provided in additional funding to support the growing number children in need of a safe home through out-of-home care.
— $2.28 million in funding will be provided for Play Therapy Services for children with a disability, fulfilling a key election commitment.
— $3.5 million over four years will provide 8 additional speech pathologists and services for young children with high priority needs.

Housing, Homelessness and Community services
— $1.2 million over four years is being provided to assist people with mental health issues to access and maintain appropriate housing.
— $898,000 over four years for community outreach to rough sleepers through the Street to Home initiative.

Municipal Services:
— $7.8 million in providing Canberrans with new cycle and foot paths, funding feasibility studies into two additional Park ‘n’ Ride facilities at Erindale and Mitchell and trialling two new cross-town transport services as well as new seats and signage at bus stops.
— $10.3 million over the next four years for maintenance of our stormwater systems, streetlights and traffic lights.
— $83 million is included for the Gungahlin Drive duplication.
— $8.5 million for a range of works at the Gungahlin College precinct.
— $98 million has been provided over four years for a range of infrastructure works associated with land releases in Molonglo and Gungahlin.
— $61 million will go towards the Airport Road upgrade, Lanyon Drive and Kings Highway.
— $8.2 million over four years for additional paths, the replacement of paving, sheltered BBQ’s, a performance stage at Tuggeranong Town Park.
— $12 million investment over four years for the Sydney and Melbourne buildings.
— $7.1 million over four years is being provided to enhance the ACT Library and Information Service collections and to provide a library shopfront and collection in inner-south Canberra.
— $3.7 million will be invested in a major package of conservation and upgrade works at Lanyon, Calthorpe’s House and Mugga Mugga, plus additional work at Hobday’s Cottage and English Gardens at Weston Park and the Albert Hall.

Tourism, Sport and Recreation:
— New and enhanced infrastructure for community and elite sport including funding for stage two of the Lyneham Sports Precinct, the Gungahlin enclosed oval and a basketball centre of excellence.
— $5.3 million marketing and event package for the “Autumn Event”.
— $14 million over four years for the Centenary of Canberra Program, which will provide for the appointment of a Creative Director.

Jobs and the economy:
— $3.5 million over four years to support businesses accessing overseas export markets.
— Codifying the Change of Use Charge (in relation to land development) in response to industry’s concerns around the uncertainty in charge determinations.
— An extra $9.7 million over four years for the ACT Planning and Land Authority.

and the brand new program, CollabIT, has been running in the other states for years. How is it a brand new program? certainly, it is brand new to business in the ACT. There isn’t any mention on the AIIA website about the ACT’s involvement in the program…

In the roads announcement – no mention of upping the maintenance allocation. How many times can you tar and rock a road anyway?

You might be interested to know then that Roads ACT head Tony Gill – when speaking at the latest Gungahlin Community Council meeting – advised that all ACT streets are on a 20-resealing cycle. When asked how long the crummy chip-seal resurfacing they’ve been forced to use lasts, he conceded it lasts 15 years.